It took a sustained effort for Neptune to reaffirm their position at the top of the ESB Superleague as Tolka Rovers pushed them basket for basket in Glasnevin yesterday before eventually falling 72-69.
Tolka played an outstanding defensive game and after enjoying a six-point lead for most of the second half they were unfortunate not to pull off the biggest surprise of the weekend. It was only when they lost Paddy Boylan to five fouls early in the last quarter that they allowed Neptune to find the winning comeback and ensure a two-point advantage on the league table ahead of Denny Notre Dame.
With 23 seconds remaining the sides were level but Tolka had Randal Mounts called back for travelling thus giving Neptune the vital possession. Jon D'Orlando was then fouled on the shot and by converting the free-shot she allowed the team to return to Cork with the three-point win.
After taking two points from the meeting with Tolka Rovers on Friday and following that up with a 78-66 win over Sligo Dairies on Saturday, Notre Dame have now taken over sole possession of the runner-up spot.
Despite their dismal start to the season, Sligo put up a reasonable challenge in the first half with Chris Doyle contributing 15 points in the first quarter alone. Notre Dame then switched to a man-to-man defence and with 10 points apiece from Ciaran Dempsey and Eric Blair, they were three points up by the halfway stage.
With Dempsey increasing his scoring total to 26, Notre Dame ran out comfortable winners and leave Sligo in deeper trouble at the bottom on the table with just one win from nine games.
Star of the Sea also split what had been a three-way tie for second place last weekend by moving into third ahead of Esat Telecom Demons. Waterford Crystal had made the long trip to Belfast in search of some crucial points but a convincing performance by the Star team never gave them a chance and they lost 64-49.
Irish international Gareth Maguire ensured Star got off to the perfect start by shooting nine of their 15 points in the first quarter. Waterford's fouls continued to add up as the usually reliable Roscoe Patterson experienced one of his worst games of the season. Their only consolation was that they outscored Star 14-10 in the third quarter but a Waterford victory was never within sight and they go into a negative standing with four wins and five losses.
The Demons blew their chance of staying in the top three by falling to Dungannon 86-81 on Saturday. They failed to sustain their two-point advantage at half-time and allowed Dungannon to control the final quarter with Trevor Smullen, another Irish international, their top scorer with 22 points.
Elsewhere, a three-pointer from John Teahan right on the final buzzer gave Kerry Spring Killarney a dramatic 79-76 win over Killester and they now share fourth place with the Demons. But they were lucky here, as Killester had the chance to take the game with five seconds remaining.
Jerome Westbrook only made one of his two free throws and that allowed Teahan's last gasp effort that just about beat the buzzer. Terry Smith also played outstandingly for the Kerry side, scoring 29 points.
There was no change at the top of the women's superleague as both leaders Tolka Rovers and title holders Avonmore Snowcream Wildcats kept their one-two positions intact.
Tolka were pushed by a determined Meteor side in Galsnevin yesterday before eventually winning 62-60. Some superb shooting from Karen Hennessya and Orla Nolan kept the visitors narrowly in front for much of the game but Nicky O'Brien then pulled off back-to-back three-pointers to bring them level and set up Denise Walsh's winning score.
The Wildcats had a much easier time when they comfortably dismissed the University of Limerick 82-47 on Saturday but they still remain four points behind Tolka on the league table.
